Personnel Dossier: Detective Emilia Cruz
Re: Personnel File, Human Resources
Subject: Emilia Cruz
Current Assignment: Acapulco Police Department, Detectives Unit (Homicide)
Rank: Detective
Status: Under Surveillance (Internal Affairs)
Background Profile
Emilia Cruz is the first female detective in the history of the Acapulco Police Department. Operating in a department rife with corruption and machismo, she has a reputation of being a difficult personality but also a persistent, detail-oriented investigator with an excellent track record of bringing cases to conclusion.
Her work style is best described as tough-minded and acerbic. She is not conflict-averse and projects both physical and mental strength. To date, there is no official record of her accepting bribes.
She has support at top levels of city government, which is often in conflict with police hierarchy. She has been seen in the company of Victor Obregon Sosa, head of the police union but the extent of their personal relationship is unknown.
She has experience outside Acapulco, notably on national-level task forces. While she has acquitted herself well, all of those investigations appear to have left her emotionally scarred.
Psychological Evaluation
Strengths: Exceptional analytic skills, deep empathy for crime victims and their families, and a tactical understanding of Acapulco’s complex social strata. Strong network of connections inside the police department.
Weaknesses: Prone to insubordination when thwarted or given assignments she did not seek. Has come to the attention of the police union multiple times for disrespectful behavior toward colleagues and supervisors. Her relationship with a US national is a vulnerability given his prominent social position in Acapulco.
Key Motivators: Determination to solve missing persons cases.
Known Associates
Lieutenant Franco Silvio: Has been both her partner and supervisor in the Homicide Unit. They have a complex relationship based on both respect and resentment.
Kurt Rucker: An American hotel manager who provides her with a perspective outside the Mexican police bubble. Their relationship is not platonic.
Sergeant Alvaro Cruz: The head of the police Evidence Locker is her first cousin.
Tactical Notes
In the Acapulco Noir universe, the setting is just as much a character as the detective herself. Emilia’s cases often bridge the gap between the high-society luxury of the Diamante district and the brutal reality of the colonias in the hills.
“In Acapulco, the sun blinds you to the shadows. It is my job to stand in those shadows and see what everyone else ignores.” — Emilia Cruz